Fifth man indicted in triple shooting and murder of 12-year-old girl

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A fifth man has been indicted for the murder of a 12-year-old girl and the shooting of three women outside the Hartford Park projects in June.

Amanda Milkovits Journal Staff Writer amandamilkovits

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A fifth man has been indicted for the murder of a 12-year-old girl and the shooting of three women outside the Hartford Park projects in June.

Luis "Didi" Gonzalez, 18, was indicted Tuesday by a Providence County grand jury in the murder of Aynis Vargas and the triple shooting. Gonzalez's older brother, also named Luis Gonzalez and nicknamed "Fat Boy," and two other young men are also charged. Another man, Ricardo Vasquez, 21, pleaded guilty in September and was sentenced to life in prison.

The five are alleged to be members of the Harriet Street gang, and the Providence police say they were avenging the vandalism to a minivan owned by the older Gonzalez. Members of the rival Hartford Park Soldiers gang had smashed the van's window.

The Harriet Street gang allegedly intended to shoot someone in Hartford Park for the vandalism -- and randomly chose a high-school graduation party, attended by Aynis Vargas, family and friends.

Didi Gonzalez was 17 at the time of the June 15 shooting, but was waived out of Family Court to be tried as an adult. He is expected to be arraigned Wednesday at Providence Superior Court.

The grand jury indicted Gonzalez on one count of murder, two counts of conspiracy, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, and four counts of discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence.

The other men accused in the fatal shooting, aside from Gonzalez's older brother, are Branden "Blaze" Castro and Angel "Yung Cyph" Valerio.